I wrote last week about The Sharonline neighborhood on Youngstown’s East Side. The name Scienceville came up and piqued my curiosity as well. The Scienceville neighborhood is just west of the Sharonline neighborhood, defined by the neighborhoods on either side of McGuffey Road west of Liberty toward Lansdowne, and those along Liberty, that were originally part of Coitsville Township until it was annexed into Youngstown in 1928. In some sources I looked at Scienceville, The Sharonline and McGuffey Heights are lumped together, but I also found evidence of each being distinctive neighborhoods.
But what about that name? Originally, the area was called Science Hill. As early as 1840, there was a Science Hill schoolhouse. Supposedly the name reflected an interest in science of the residents. The name was changed because there was another location in Ohio named Science Hill. So it became Scienceville. In 1906, the first Scienceville High School was built on the west side of Liberty Road between Cornwall and Fairfax, replacing the schoolhouse. In 1922, the second Scienceville High School was built across the street, with the first becoming an elementary school.
In 1945, Scienceville High School became North High School. Students thought the name Scienceville was unrecognizable in other parts of town, and eventually persuaded the Board of Education to change the name to North High School (odd because it is located on the East Side). In 1956, a new North High School opened on Mariner Avenue with the old building becoming a middle school, named Science Hill Junior High.
North High School was closed after the 1979-1980 class. The building has since been razed and is now the site of Martin Luther King Elementary. The sites of the first and second high schools are now vacant land. East Middle School is located just to the northeast of the elementary on Bryn Mawr and feeds into East High School.
The neighborhood consists of older 3 to 4 bedroom homes built between 1940 and 1969 with along with apartments. According to Neighborhood Scout, the neighborhood has one of the highest percentages of those of African ancestry (7.8 percent) and Puerto Rican ancestry (9.2 percent) of any neighborhood in the country.
There was always a group of Scienceville alumni who thought it a mistake to change the name to North. I won’t weigh in on that one, but I do think it does seem unfortunate that none of the schools bear this name. Community identity is powerful in uniting a neighborhood, and the history of Science Hill and the schools that occupied the area around Liberty Road seems worth recapturing.
To read other posts in the Growing Up in Working Class Youngstown series, just click “On Youngstown.” Enjoy!
Last week I mentioned that my mother was a Scienceville graduate. Those who attended West Jr. High might remember Civics teacher, Mr Kroll. My mother remembered him as a Scienceville fellow grad and the star of the basketball team.
I remember Mr. Kroll. Interesting to picture him as a basketball star!
My grandfather, Raymond Opincarne, graduated Scienceville High School in 1939 and was editor of the yearbook. We just celebrated is 102 birthday this weekend. Yes – he is telling stories about growing up in there and we are documenting everything we can (that’s what led me to your site). He served in the US Airforce in WWII, Korea and Viet Nam. His family (parents were Romanian immigrants) lived on Edgar Ave through the depression. So many stories!
Do you have yearbook(s)? My grandmother, Hazel Sutherland nee Clingan taught at Scienceville… I would love to have photo(s)!
hello Jennifer you are my cousin!! I just spoke to your dad uncle Tay yesterday!!!! I am so happy to see your reply ! I would love to speak with you !
Typo Uncle Ray
Your grandfather was my grampa johns brother . They also lived a few other places :))
I am a friend of Ray’s. My parents and I were very close with his sister and her husband. They were always “Aunt” Bette and
“Uncle “Danny to me.
Ray and I became close over the phone all these years after Aunt Bette passed away. I have never met him in person but we have talked sooooo many times and have become close.
The last time we spoke was about a month ago.
Now I call and get Ray’s son Gary.
Two weeks ago Gary said that his Dad had slowed down a great deal suddenly and that he sleeps 20 hours a day.
I have asked Gary a number of times to let me know how his Dad is doing, but Gary is not getting in touch with me at all.
I am very upset about it and have no way to know anything about my friend.
Do you have any information about him?
I feel maybe God led me to this Youngstown site after typing in Ray’s name, feeling Sick that I might see his Obituary!
If you know anything about him, it would mean the world to me to hear from you!!
I am Cindi Jones Jacoby….I live in Gainesville, Florida.
My email address is
cjsmurf2@yahoo.com
Phone…352-283-3076
My husband Les’ phone is 352-281-8976 .
I am so happy , by some miracle, to have found you today.
Thank you. Ray is very special to me.
Sincerely,
Cindi Jacoby
Often heard of Sciencville. Grew up on eastside, Park Heights off Shehy. Love learning all these stories about my hometown. Thank you for time and dedication to this page
My grandmother taught at Scienceville in the ’50s!
My grandmother taught at a school in Scienceville in the 1940’s and 50’s and I assume earlier. She lived a block or two away.